Bible Study

 

Those who are serious about Bible study often use other information to help them get to grips with the background to the text and the language used. These can be useful:

·   A Bible atlas – with maps showing where events happened and showing places.

·   A Bible commentary – giving insights from theologians and experts on the   Bible text and its significance.

·   A Bible dictionary – explaining words and concepts.

·   A Bible concordance – listing where in the Bible a word or phrase can be found

 

What you are looking to do is to get a clear understanding of:

·   What the passage means in simple and clear English.

·   Who it was originally addressed to and why.

·   What it would have meant to them at the time.

·   What, in the light of the above, it might have to say to us now and what we should do about it.

 

Other good questions to ask in applying what we are studying include:

·   What does this tell me about the nature and character of God?

·   What does this tell me about me and other humans?

·   What if it were me? (How would the people concerned think, feel?)

·   How does this fit into the Big Story of the Bible?

·   Is there anything I need to know, change or do?